WEC in the News

A new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) says that new offshore wind farms in coastal states could create more than 75,000 jobs. “This report underscores a major opportunity to not only put people to work installing those turbines, but also to create a [...]

By Debra Coyle|2018-04-05T09:17:37-04:00April 5th, 2018|WEC in the News|Comments Off on Offshore Wind Farm Could Create 75,000 More Jobs, Report Finds

The New Jersey Senate Transportation Committee approved an oil train transparency bill on Monday, reviving an effort that had been stymied by former Gov. Chris Christie. The legislation, S-1883, would require railroads to develop oil spill response plans in case of a derailment. The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, would also [...]

Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia joined the mayors of Jersey City, Montclair, Newark, Passaic, Morristown, and Plainfield, to call for statewide legislative action to extend coverage to all New Jersey workers; Each of these municipalities have earned sick day policies in place. "Ensuring that all workers in New Jersey have access to earned sick days [...]

By Debra Coyle|2018-03-02T12:30:36-04:00February 26th, 2018|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off on Bloomfield Mayor Venezia Joins Mayors of other Earned Sick Day Towns to Call for Statewide Action

Two-thirds of low-income school districts in New Jersey don't have adequate space to serve their students, according to a report by the NJ Department of Education (DOE). "The report makes clear the enormous unmet needs in the SDA districts, and the continued failure of the current administration to address overcrowding and educational adequacy," said Jerell [...]

Climate change is happening in New Jersey, and some of its impacts are already occurring: warmer summers, more days of extreme rainfalls, and increased frequency and intensity of floods due to rising sea levels. Hoping to kick off a statewide dialogue to fashion a comprehensive strategy for climate-change policy, Rutgers University [...]

In August 2010, Gov. Chris Christie signed the Offshore Wind Development Act and promised a commitment to offshore wind development in New Jersey. Seven years later, proponents of wind energy say the time for stalling is over. “For too many years, mid-August has become a bittersweet anniversary for New Jersey,” said Doug O’Malley, [...]

Gov. Chris Christie refused to sign a bill Thursday that would provide local emergency responders with more information on the scores of trains hauling volatile crude oil through New Jersey, saying it could become a security threat. The measure, which was supported by firefighters, labor groups and environmentalists, required rail companies hauling hazardous materials to provide [...]

In Plainfield, school’s out early. “It’s good because if we stayed there we would be sweating and melt or something,” said second grader Keyly Portillo. Sweat hardly describes it for Portillo. Mercury reached well above 90 today, making for hazardous conditions in some classrooms. Across the state dozens of school districts called for [...]

"Hundreds of workers from community organizations, unions and faith-based groups rallied Sunday to observe Workers’ Memorial Day. Despite the Occupational Safety and Health Act, workers continue to find themselves at great risk of exposure to dangerous workplace conditions. In December 2016, Alvaro Esteban of Freehold died on the job at the Edgeboro Landfill in East Brunswick after being [...]

The devastating 1995 Napp Technologies explosion in the heart of Lodi killed five men, created a plume of toxic black smoke that lingered over the county for days -- and led to the creation of a federal board that spent the next two decades investigating more than 100 chemical industry accidents across the nation. Now, the [...]